The New Tenants
by LittleMonster35
Summary: Sakuno and Ryoma end up being neighbors and of course, comical interaction ensues. This is a series of short stories involving the awkward couple and their blossoming relationship.
1. Prologue

**The New Tenants**

Prologue

Ever since Sakuno Ryuzaki graduated from Seishun Gakuen, she was blessed with good luck. Though it may not be as luxurious and outstanding as winning the lottery, Sakuno finally knew what she was going to do for the rest of her life. She was going to become a chef.

Now, it may have come as a surprise to most people since she spent a lot of time with her grandmother trying to improve her tennis skills, but when the end of the year came, Sakuno had realized that her true dream was to cook and concoct such delicious foods that every one of her loved ones would enjoy.

"Cooking for people makes me happy," she said with a wide smile as she told her grandmother of her plans one early morning. "I like seeing them smile after they eat something delicious."

And so, she set out to follow her dream. For Sakuno, it was a difficult road. Even though she had cooked for her grandmother and classmates often, she was too late in the school year to gain any references or study time for the entrance exams. However, with a bit of determination and encouragement from those around her, Sakuno had been placed high enough in the ranks of the exam takers to earn a position for Tokyo University's culinary arts program.

On that day, her friends had celebrated her accomplishment. And on that same day, Sumire had told her she had planned to retire.

It wasn't as big as a shock to her as it was for everyone else. Her grandmother's new set of tennis players became hysteric. But to Sakuno, it was no surprise.

Her grandmother had been struggling lately with her years finally catching up to her. Even with her fit routine, Sumire could not avoid old age. And for Sakuno, she'd rather have her grandmother worry about her health than stress out about things she could no longer control. So, in the next few weeks, Sumire would be in Osaka. And Sakuno would have to find somewhere else to live. But her luck had been on her side for the past few months.

Sakuno found a decent apartment in Tokyo with only a fifteen-minute train ride from the school and had help from Seigaku and Tomoka in moving in. Sure, it was a bit run down. It only had one main room acting as a bedroom and living room with a kitchen on the side. But it was a good enough kitchen for her. And at least the washroom and sink were closed off from the main area. Plus, the rent was cheap mainly due to the fact that it was in such a close proximity to the airport that each tenant could hear a plane go by in the middle of the night. Nonetheless, it was perfect for Sakuno. It was hers.

The area was a fairly safe one with a grocery store, shops and other services in walking distance. When Sakuno finally found the apartment, she wasted no time in finding a job near her home since she surmised that the scholarships she earned and money given by her grandmother were surely not going to be enough to live in the city as well as attend one of the most prestigious schools in the country. After a few days of hunting, Sakuno lucked out on becoming a clerk at a nearby bookstore.

On another note, the complex was composed of new families who couldn't afford much and some elders who opted to retire in a slightly isolated part of Tokyo. Sumire knew that Sakuno wouldn't face as much trouble in that area compared to the other parts of the city.

Sakuno was in a great place in her life. She had a new home that she found herself, a great job that paid generously since she was the only employee to a kind elder boss, and she was attending school for something that she loved to do.

As she walked home one afternoon from buying new ingredients for an assignment, she gave a heavy sigh. About a few minutes before, a guy from her class had bumped into her at the store. They got into a conversation much to her dismay. Although she was no longer a clumsy and bumbling idiot, Sakuno was still shy to people she barely knew. And she became even more embarrassed as he asked her out on a date.

Of course, she said no. Sakuno was barely comfortable with dating. For some reason, no guy appealed to her. Well, one guy did. But they hadn't seen each other for the past two years. Sure, she'd send him letters every now and then, but that was pretty much their whole interaction since he left for bigger opportunities in the state. Ever since the young boy, she was never interested in dating.

So, she became flustered when he asked her for a reason. And Sakuno didn't have any better reason than having no interest in being with someone. Then again, she couldn't tell him that. Who tells someone they'd rather be alone than go out with them? So she opted to tell him half a truth. That she liked someone else.

It was kind of true. She never really liked anyone since the cat eyed prince, but she knew that that fantasy was way out of reach.

When Sakuno reached the second floor, she gave another sigh. This time, it was a sigh of relief. She was really glad that there was really no one in her complex that was single and her age.

Well, that's what she thought. Until she saw the boxes next to her apartment door.

* * *

The great tennis prince of Japan has had enough. Ryoma wasn't known for his patience, but he knew that this was more than anyone could handle. It wasn't his mother or his cousin or even his perverted father. Well, maybe a little bit of him. But the main issue was privacy.

He was eighteen for God's sake. Ryoma was more than capable of taking care of himself. In fact, his earnings from all of his past competitions have earned him more than enough for a nice _mansion_ by himself. And yet, he was still living with his perverted oyaji.

He couldn't go out to practice in the middle of the night without his mother constantly worried about his safety. His cousin was always bringing girlfriends over, and he became the target of their affections. And his father… Well, it was his father.

Ryoma came home one day to find boxes of _magazines_ in his room with his father secretly bribing him with Ponta for a whole year to keep it quiet. His room, was after all, the only room in the house where Rinko couldn't barge in anymore. Of course, it was tempting since Ponta wasn't available in the states, but he wasn't going to take crap from his father. And that day, Nanjiro ended up sleeping outside with bruises all over.

And on that same day, Ryoma proposed that he should get his own place. Rinko wasn't surprised and was even glad for the boy. But she still showed concern. And she especially showed concern when she found out he wanted to move back to Japan.

"A lot of my competitions this year are going to be in Asia or Europe," he explained as he heard his father knock loudly to let him in. "Plus, I miss Japan."

And so Rinko agreed with Nanjiro commenting that it'd be good for him to find a girlfriend. But that's not something the great Ryoma Echizen needed to worry about. Tennis was his priority at the moment.

After a few months, Ryoma struggled to find an apartment that was close enough to the airport that he could run to it if traffic was too slow and had a good shopping district nearby. He also needed an isolated place that attracted no tourists.

Ryoma was getting more and more popular each time he won a tournament or championship. And he really didn't want the burden of being a celebrity. So, he needed a place that kept outsiders out. He had a lot of requirements. And not enough candidates.

When he finally broke with his father telling him how to treat a girl, Ryoma became desperate and asked for help from his friends: his former senpai-tachi.

It came as a surprise when he enlisted their help in a favor but soon became excitedly involved. Ryoma wasn't one to ask for help, but he really needed it.

So after explaining to them of his situation, they took no time in informing him of an apartment that was vacant.

"How did you already know of one?" Ryoma asked suspiciously. Even if they knew of the area better than he did, it was too quick a reply. Eiji was berated for the outburst from what Ryoma could tell and became even more suspicious but shrugged it off when his father ran into his room claiming that he needed to help him hide some special documents in his room.

Ryoma contacted the landlord of the apartment complex and asked for some pictures. He was soon met with a very moderate looking place with really only one room meant for living. He asked if there were any rooms nicer than that one but was quickly rejected. Ryoma was used to living in mansions and nothing less than luxurious. But he settled for it anyway.

Besides, no one would expect him to live there. And the area had a fairly good shopping district around the corner. And it was only fifteen minutes walking distance from the airport. The room itself wasn't his preference but everything else was.

And the day came when Ryoma arrived in Japan with his former teammates picking him up at the airport. They had excitedly asked him to join them for a night out after he got settled in and offered to help him move in. Ryoma became suspicious once again.

As they reached the complex of his new home, a place that was isolated yet comfortingly quiet, they proceeded to the second floor. Ryoma didn't fail to notice the curious glances at the door right next to his.

"What aren't you telling me?"

All of them froze. But then Fuji spoke up, "A friend of ours lives here. That's how we knew about the place."

Ryoma should have pried more, but his twelve-hour flight had him growing increasingly tired. He should have concluded that it was someone he knew but didn't say anything, thinking it was a guy who he'd never met before.

It wasn't until they all sat at the kotatsu and heard boxes fall over from the outside did he realize why his senpai-tachi suggested the place.

"R-Ryoma-kun?"

* * *

A/N: Okay, so this is going to basically be a series of short stories that are basically based on OTP prompts and each chapter will have a new sort of theme to it. It's basically a drabble series, but there is an actual arc to this fanfic. Anyway, I am so excited to write this because it's basically just random crap that I've put together. I've actually already planned out the entirety of this story and planned each chapter accordingly. I've written at least five chapters of this story or at least, the drafts for the chapters. Hopefully you guys like this as much as I've enjoyed writing it!


	2. Ryoma's First Breakfast

Chapter 1: Ryoma's First Breakfast

Maybe he jumped the gun a bit when he moved out.

Ryoma was a prince. A prodigy. He could do anything. So, why was he struggling?

He looked at the plate in front of him. Burnt. Everything was absolutely burnt. Even the miso soup was somehow burnt. Could you even burn soup? If not, how come it tasted like firewood and gasoline?

He threw the rice out. It was the third time that morning he tried to make breakfast. The third time.

Ryoma looked at his mom's recipes that she gave him before he left for Japan. But something must be wrong with the recipe. Because surely, it couldn't have been his fault.

Okay, so maybe it _was_ him. But he'd never admit that to anybody. He'd never admit that maybe it was a little too soon for him to move out, because he couldn't even cook a simple Japanese breakfast. Ryoma cursed to himself. His mom always made it look so easy.

"Che," he said as he angrily poured the soup in the sink. He heard Karupin eating behind him while his own stomach growled. This was one of those times that Ryoma would've preferred to be a cat. They had no trouble getting food. And they definitely didn't need to prepare their own meals. But then again, until a few days ago, he'd been the same.

He laid down on his living room floor as his stomach grumbled louder. Maybe he'd just go out for breakfast. He saw some restaurants around the grocery store while he was on his way to his new apartment yesterday. And he was running out of the ingredients his senpai-tachi brought over for him. Ryoma knew he only had one more try until he was fully out of resources.

His stomach growled once again. ' _Yes,_ ' he thought, ' _I'll just go get breakfast at a nearby restaurant_.'

Then, he heard a sudden knock at the door. It wouldn't have been so odd if it wasn't for the fact that it was six o'clock in the morning. But he already knew who it was. It was too early in the day for any of his senpai-tachi to come by. And all his family members had been in the states. So, that only left one person.

"Ryuzaki," he said as he opened the door. As he saw her standing there, nervously looking at him, he recalled their reunion from yesterday.

The day before had been interesting. Before he could even get a word out, she ran to the apartment next door. The same one that his former teammates were looking at just before they entered his.

"So, this is why you suggested this place," Ryoma accused. Of course, no one straightforwardly admitted it.

"We helped Ryuzaki-chan move in about a month ago," Fuji explained.

"That's right! We were reminded of how close this apartment was to the airport," Eiji chimed in. "And there's a bunch of family owned places around here. We remembered how safe and convenient this area was for Ryuzaki-chan, nya."

"So, it basically fit all of your requirements," Momoshiro patted Ryoma's back. "For such specific standards, you're lucky this apartment was open."

They all smirked at him with the exception of Tezuka who only flashed his glasses.

"Please take care of her!" they shouted, causing the young prince to rub his forehead.

However, even if they were scheming the whole thing, they'd been right. There really was nowhere else to go. The area had been full for a couple years now. If he didn't take the room now, surely, there'd be no chance in him finding one that met his standards until the next year.

"Is everything okay, Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked, snapping him out of the memory. "I-I smelled something burning."

Besides, he didn't mind that it was Sakuno. He didn't mind at all.

"I'm trying to make breakfast," Ryoma replied quickly, trying to keep his cool. He really didn't need the girl to know that he'd been burning everything he touched. Then, he remembered an important detail the former Seigaku members mentioned before they took their leave.

"Ryuzaki-chan is studying to be a chef," Eiji excitedly told him. Apparently, Sakuno had become close to all of the members after he left Japan. He'd heard a brief story about how she was always the one who made the victory meals, something they all looked forward to. All nodding their heads, they agreed she became somewhat of a food savior to them.

"Ryuzaki," he said, causing her to blush all of a sudden. Sakuno had no idea how he could do that. "Can you make me breakfast?"

"Eh?"

* * *

After a short twenty minutes of waiting, petting his cat and watching a few old tennis matches on television, Sakuno had finally prepared a traditional Japanese breakfast.

Ryoma was showing a subtle expression of astonishment. The clumsy girl that he'd come to know had created a tray full of, as he saw it, glowing treasures. Of course, every now and then when she was cooking, he'd glance at her without her knowing, afraid that she'd end up creating a fire somehow... knowing her history. But he only saw her work effortlessly. It was probably comparable to how he was on the courts.

Sakuno sat herself next to the prince with a slight tint of pink on her cheeks and prepared the table for the meal. Ryoma was relieved. He was going to get to eat.

"I-Is it good?" she asked nervously as he took a bite of fried rice and tamagayoki. Ryoma knew his cool was evaporating since his hunger had overtaken him that morning. And eating her food finally gave him some relief. But that didn't mean he'd be out of his character. So, he just nodded.

Once he took the bite, he knew it'd be good. What he failed to predict was that it tasted… familiar?

"I-I tried to follow the recipe on the kitchen counter," Sakuno said as she fidgeted with the apron. "I-It may be for a simple Japanese breakfast, but I-I could tell someone altered it based on s-someone's taste."

Ryoma proceeded to eat the rest of the breakfast and ended it with a, "It's not bad. Thank you."

Sakuno's face lit up. Normally, people complimented her with the highest praise, but she knew that Ryoma wasn't that type of person. Even so, she was happy that he ate her cooking. Smiling to herself, she'd happily cook for him again if she was given the opportunity.

The young prince looked at the girl and smirked. Even as the years passed, he knew what she was thinking. He always did.

"Don't you have class?"

"Ah! I don't start until eight o'clock. What about you, Ryoma-kun?" she was still blushing and avoiding direct contact. She'd barely seen the young man in the past couple of years yet, her heart still always skipped a beat.

"So, you like cooking, right?"

She nodded.

"Then, if I pay you, would you keep cooking for me?"

She blushed harder. Had he realized her thoughts on cooking for him?

"A-Ano, Ryoma-kun doesn't have to pay me," she said courageously, trying not to return to the girl who acted so clumsily around the boy.

He looked at her a few seconds and frowned. Did she not think he'd be able to pay her?

"Why?"

She quickly realized that he mistook her offer. "A-Ah! It's not what you think! A-Ano, it's because um, you and I know each other already, and we're neighbors now..."

She continued on, finally looking at him. "I-It's a neighborly thing to do; plus, it'll be good practice for me. If I make too much food, I might end up just wasting it. I-I can only eat so much."

Ryoma blinked and finally retreated to his signature smirk. "Heh? So, really you're the one using me?"

"Mou, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno blushed again.

Ryoma only widened his smirk.

* * *

A/N: Hooray, the first chapter's up! I really liked writing the continuation like this. Sometimes, I just hate having to continue it from where it's left off but this story is meant to be a kind of drabble series, so I can get away with it. Anyway, this is going to be a weekly update rather than updating it on a random day. Like I said in the prologue, I've basically planned out this story's chapters already. So, thank you for reading and please comment as much as you can!

 **Cata06 & nallhir:** Thank you so much for reviewing and I'll update this story next Saturday. I love hearing that you guys enjoyed it so again, thank you for your comments!


	3. As Sweet as Can Be

Chapter 2: As Sweet as Can Be

Ryoma was always the cool one. And he had definitely never been humiliated before... well, except for the time his peers made him dress up as a princess. So, after today, he swore vengeance on his former teammates for making the girl next door ignore him.

The day had started out fine. A few of the guys, Eiji, Momoshiro, Inui, and Fuji, were going to come visit him since they were free to that day. Ryoma was a bit taken aback since the most mischievous members of the team were going to come to his home.

It wasn't that Ryoma didn't like their company. He just knew that if it was the four of them, he'd usually be the butt of their jokes. And with the auburn haired girl at home that Saturday, he prepared himself for an inevitable headache. And in his defense, he was usually right most of the time.

"So, how are you holding up by yourself, o'chibi?" Eiji asked while playing with Karupin. The red head, they thought to themselves, looked a lot more like a feline than the cat itself.

"It's been fine," he said, not mentioning the breakfast incident the other day. "It's much better now that I have my privacy."

He narrowed his eyes at his friends. "... which reminds me, why are you here?"

"Hey! We've barely seen you the past two years with hardly any phone calls or even any emails. It's your fault we're going to visit as much as we can," Momoshiro declared. Eiji and Fuji agreed with Inui slightly nodding.

"I'd like to get at least two pages of data concerning your overall growth that I failed to analyze the past few years," Inui commented, earning him a sweat drop from his friends.

"Besides, as your friends, we want to hear more about your days in the states," Momoshiro added.

"I already told you about it when you guys barged in the day I arrived," Ryoma remarked as he grabbed a Ponta from the fridge.

"You told us about your tennis," Fuji corrected him. He looked at the others who smirked. "We want to know about your personal life."

"There's nothing to tell," the young prince replied bluntly. He took a sip of his Ponta and sat down at the kotatsu with the two boys while Eiji continued playing with the cat.

"Really, Echizen?" Momoshiro pried, trying to get something out of him. "Not even a girlfriend?"

"Why would I have a girlfriend in the states?" he replied.

"It's like you have no hormones!" Momoshiro cried along with Eiji who agreed. Fuji just smiled as Inui wrote in his notebook.

"Well, since you're not going to tell us anything, nya, then let's at least do something. Maybe go out or something," Eiji suggested finally letting go of Karupin. He sat himself next to Momoshiro and rested his head on the table.

Ryoma only shook his head. "You're over at _my_ house yet you'd rather go out."

"Well, you have nothing here! You don't even have a console, nya!" he said, bursting his head up.

"Well, it's not my fault you came here without notice."

Momoshiro and Eiji only scowled in response while Fuji looked amused. "Then, how about we play a game?"

Ryoma felt a shiver down his spine. Anything suggested by the sadist would often cause trouble. He'd only just returned to Japan about a week ago. When did he go back to listening to his idiotic senpai-tachi?

"No," he answered without hesitation.

"Aw, why o'chibi?"

"Because it's probably going to be bad."

"Or are you just afraid that maybe you've lost your 'win everything' touch?" Momoshiro sneered.

"At least I didn't have the 'lose everything' touch like you," Ryoma insulted back.

"Oi, you brat!"

Fuji's smile just widened. "Then, how about we make things interesting? The loser has to do one of each of the winners' biddings."

"What's that got to do with me?" Ryoma said, taking another sip of his Ponta. The other prodigy just took something out of his pocket. He revealed a small coupon with the words: "Mega Year's Worth of Ponta."

Ryoma looked at the small piece of paper. It was tempting. "So if you lose then you'll give me that ticket?"

"That could be one of the biddings, yes," he answered.

Ryoma thought for a moment. What could he possibly have to lose? Besides, he'd almost always win. "Fine."

* * *

And of course, this was not one of those times. The game had been a trivia game made by Inui and as he predicted, it wasn't just the subject of tennis. And anything that had nothing to do with tennis, he didn't care about. So naturally, he lost.

And now, as he sat there, Ryoma regretted letting his ego get the better of him. He predicted that his friends would just order him to do prank calls or humiliate himself by making him say things or do things he'd normally never do. But that all came from Momoshiro, Eiji and Inui. Fuji, on the other hand, waited until the others were done with their orders.

Momoshiro had him prank call Tezuka telling him corny jokes which resulted in the former captain telling Ryoma that if it were up to him, he'd be running laps again. Eiji, more involved in laughing at the boy, told him to act as if he was a tsunedere girl, to which all of them pointed and laughed at as he had to shout out, "Senpai, notice me!"

Inui, on the other hand, just told him to give him, in full detail, his training regimen and links to all of his matches. Needless to say, it wasn't interesting for the other three. And Ryoma was more thankful for his obsessed-with-data senpai than the others.

And then came Fuji. He knew that it would have something to do with a certain girl who happened to live right next door. He just didn't know what. "You just have to do one thing, Echizen."

And to Ryoma, he knew it was going to be the worst of all.

"You have to go ask Ryuzaki-chan for some sugar." That's it?

"I'm not finished yet," Ryoma knew it was too good to be true. "Then, you'll have to say…"

* * *

"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno stated as she opened the door. She gave a nervous smile. After all, she had no idea why he'd be knocking at _her_ door. Maybe he needed her to cook dinner?

"Ryuzaki," he started. She didn't know why he always started out with her name. He'd always just say it as if everything that she said went over his head. Nonetheless, she knew Ryoma liked to get straight to the point. She liked that about him.

"Um, can I have some sugar?"

"Ah, sure!"

' _So, that's what it was about?_ ' she thought to herself as she turned to get some sugar. Then, she stopped as she heard her name being called out again.

She turned around and waited patiently as it became apparent he was getting increasingly uncomfortable. ' _Is this how I look like to him sometimes?_ '

"Actually, you'd do."

' _What?_ '

"Because you are…"

She tilted her head.

' _Damn those guys,_ ' Ryoma thought.

"…as sweet as can be."

Sakuno blinked. "…"

"…"

"…"

 _Slam!_

' _Did she just…_ '

Before Ryoma could finish the thought, he saw his friends laughing through his slightly open door. "She slammed the door in o'chibi's face!"

They continued laughing as he walked back inside. Ryoma could only glare at them. His mind had been too occupied at the fact that the shy girl he'd always depicted her as suddenly slammed the door in his face.

"I formed the conclusion that Ryuzaki would either 50% stutter and blush while you walked away, 30% stutter and nervously ask what was going on, 15% hear us in the background, or 5% other," Inui said over the others' laughters. "I guess the lowest probability won this time."

"Echizen, the look on your face!" Momoshiro said in between his laughter. Ryoma scowled and turned his head to the other man who had just spoken.

He hesistantly spoke in a low tone, "And now?"

"95% contemplating on what she's done," he spoke with a monotonous tone.

"That high, huh?" Ryoma stated with a subtle hint of relief. He didn't need her to be awkward around him. She just started cooking for him. And he wasn't going back to burnt food.

"Well, there is still the other 5%."

"And that is?"

"Wanting to avoid you for a long time."

* * *

Oh, how Sakuno wanted to hide. It wasn't every day that _the_ Ryoma Echizen _flirted_ with her. He _flirted._ A word that had never been used on someone that had his personality. And now, all of a sudden he said something that… that… _weird._

Don't get the girl wrong, she's fantasized him saying sweet things to her since she was twelve years old. But that's just it. It was a _fantasy_. And now that it actually happened, she didn't know how to react. So, she did the only thing she could do. She shut the door. It wasn't meant to be harsh or anything. She just needed to process what was happening without having to gaze into his questioning golden orbs.

The tennis prince who had barely talked to her in the past two years much less paid any attention to her in high school, was now telling her that she was sweet.

 _"...sweet as can be."_

Sakuno blushed harder as she recalled the words over again. She shook her head furiously and leaned against the wall. But as soon as she did, she started to move around again, suddenly feeling a lot of anxious energy.

With her head spinning, Sakuno looked out the balcony door that revealed bright rays of sunshine. Maybe some fresh air would do her good right now. Breathing relief that the boy hadn't been outside on his own balcony, she cautiously placed herself far from his door.

And after a few minutes, she was glad she went outside. Or else she wouldn't have heard so much laughing.

"You were great, Echizen!" she heard a voice say. Was it... Momoshiro?

Wait, they were over?

"That was a nice dare, Fuji!"

 _'Eiji-senpai?'_

"Well done, Echizen," she heard Fuji say, amusement in his voice. "You performed my task perfectly."

 _'What task?'_

"Shut up," she could hear Ryoma finally reply back. She blushed at the sound of his voice. "I don't know why you're laughing. You knew what I was going to say. You made me say it to her."

 _'Made… him… say… to… me?'_

And then it hit her. It was a dare!

And she shut the door in his face.

At this realization, Sakuno immediately went back into her room, carefully not making a sound. Now she felt terrible. As if it was bad enough that they made him do something so out of his character, she didn't help at all.

Finally understanding what was going on, she thought over things for a few moments. "That's what I'll do!"

* * *

"Aw, I feel kind of bad for leaving o'chibi in a bad mood," Eiji said as the four walked back to their cars.

"Well, it's his fault he's so cocky. That was surprising though. Of all the things I'd thought she'd do, I didn't think she'd shut the door in his face," Momoshiro commented, chuckling to himself. "She sure has a lot of courage now. What do you think Fuji?"

The prodigy stopped for a second and looked back at his friends. "Well, seeing how Echizen is right now, Sakuno may have a pretty hard time in the next few months."

He continued walking on with the three looking questioningly at each other. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I figured out something today that they both haven't figured out yet."

"And that is?"

"Well..." the tensai pondered for a moment, "It's only a guess for now. But I'm sure Echizen will confirm it for us in the future..."

* * *

Ryoma was annoyed. Maybe he'd just go and apologize for how strange he was acting, but then again, he did nothing wrong. She chose to close the door on him, and it wasn't his fault that his senpai-tachi forced him to.

And it wasn't even that big of a comment. He didn't understand why she had overreacted to such a small remark. Then again, he'd never said anything even that close to her. Or anyone. Ever.

Ryoma groaned and sharply rose up. He'd just knock on the door and explain to her it was just a dare. Besides, wasn't it better to tell the girl the truth? That he'd only compliment her due to a dare?

As he reached for the door knob, he heard a sudden knock at the door.

He opened the door to reveal the petite girl he was about to see, standing there holding a piece of cake on plate.

"Ryuzaki?" was all he could say. She had surprised him multiple times today.

"A-Ano, I'm sorry Ryoma-kun," Sakuno said nervously, "For s-slamming the door, I mean."

He let her in after responding with a simple, "Hn."

"I-I heard Momo-senpai and Eiji-senpai laughing and figured out that it was probably them that made you act so s-strange," she said setting the plate on the table.

She then bowed, "I'm sorry."

"Ryuzaki," he started as he took a step towards her. "Sorry for bringing you into this."

"N-No, no! I was being a spoil sport," seeing as Ryoma was in dismay, she quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, I brought some cake. It's a new taste that I concocted a few days ago."

The boy sat down next to her as Sakuno stared anxiously. Ryoma took a bite out of the cake and ate more. Relieved, she smiled. "Is it okay?"

"It's not too sweet," he commented, surprise at the taste. To be perfectly honest, Ryoma was hesistant. He really didn't like cake or anything too sugary. But this... this was good.

"Well, it's made from bittersweet chocolate and a light amount of powdered sugar on top for taste. I figured there were people like you, you know? People who don't like anything too sweet."

"Heh," he smirked. "So, then you want to be a chef for the sake of others?"

She blushed again and looked down at the hem of her dress. "W-Well, you could say that."

Ryoma was silent for a second.

 _'Maybe Fuji had the right idea.'_

"I guess what I said was true then."

Sakuno looked up to see a smirking Ryoma. She gave him a confused stare.

Knowing she was terrible at it, Ryoma switched to English.

" **You _are_ as sweet as can be.** "

Sakuno only tilted her head.

* * *

A/N: This was so fun to write. I saw this as a prompt challenge, and it was too funny not to write. Anyway, thank you all so much for your reviews and I would very much like to read any critiques like what I should improve on and the things you like. It really makes my day whenever I see a review posted so if you can, I'd love to read them. Next chapter will be posted next Saturday and there will be a special visitor that may or may not threaten Ryoma's time with Sakuno...


	4. Nanako Comes to Visit

Chapter 3: Nanako Comes to Visit

Blink.

"What are you doing here?" Ryoma asked the girl unexpectedly standing outside of his door.

"That's no way to say hello to your cousin," Nanako admonished. Frowning at his bitterness, she added, "After all the trouble I had to go through to come here."

"Why?" he bluntly asked, ignoring her protests. It had only been a few weeks since he left California and yet, his family was already hell-bent on visiting him.

"You know how auntie is," she explained, glancing behind him to analyze the small apartment. It was far from what she imagined and something, she noted, Ryoma wasn't used to. Since he'd been young, his parents had always provided him with the best amenities and the most exclusive tennis gear. It's a wonder that he survived his current living situation this long. But then again, her cousin never really cared for any material things in life. As long as Ryoma was content with something, he rarely paid attention to the shallow parts.

After roaming through the room, she finally noticed the small suitcase behind Ryoma. Nanako blinked. "Where are you going?"

"Seoul," he said, closing the door behind him and locking it.

"What!? Why?"

"There's a competition I was invited to," Ryoma said heading towards the stairs.

"Wait, I came here to visit you!" Nanako yelled. If the women in his family didn't have such control over him, he wouldn't have stopped in his tracks.

"It's not my fault you came without telling me."

"Ryoma!" he turned around to his cousin's expression of displeasure becoming more apparent.

"Just hang out with some friends 'til I get back," he suggested with little care in his voice. She may be his cousin, but Ryoma was running very late, and he would not be a very happy boy if he missed his plane. Besides, it's not like Nanako was new to Japan, she'd live there longer than he had.

"Most of them are gone on a holiday or too busy with their classes," she sighed disappointingly. Somehow she knew this was going to happen. Curse her for not thinking things through. Especially when it came to the busy boy.

' _Class… what day is it again?_ ' Ryoma thought, trying to find something for his cousin to do. Although he could care less what she was doing, there was no way he'd get anywhere if she continued on and on. Plus, she cared enough to visit him so he tried to be concerned.

' _It's Friday,_ ' he thought further, ignoring the girl impatiently looking at him. ' _That means… she's home._ '

Before Nanako could tell him she'd find something else to do, Ryoma surprised her by knocking on door right next to his. Now, she's lived with the boy for years now, and Ryoma having any type of relationship with his neighbors was news to her. And it's especially odd that he'd even bother them for something so small.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. What if he was just going to hand her off to some guy he'd just met? Ryoma was blunt and at times crude, but surely, he wouldn't do that, right?

Of course, Nanako would've believed that before she'd believe what was in front of her eyes.

Standing at the door was a beautiful girl with long braided pigtails. For a guy who didn't have any hormones, this was a very surprising turnabout. And what's more, Nanako recognized her.

"You remember Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter, right? You can stay with her."

Nanako looked at him with clear disbelief. So, he _was_ handing her off to someone else! Even if it was a non-threatening girl, Nanako still berated him with a smack on his head for his rudeness. Not just to her but the girl who was standing there with a confused expression.

"I apologize for my cousin," she meekly said.

"What? Why?" he asked rubbing the spot she just hit. She glared at Ryoma and then bowed at Sakuno. Seeing that he was already late enough, Ryoma shrugged it off and started heading down again.

Before he could go too far, he stopped and then glanced back at Sakuno. "Thanks."

Sakuno just blushed and gently yelled, "Have a safe flight!"

As Ryoma disappeared down the stairs, Sakuno looked back at Nanako smiling at her.

"I know you probably won't remember me, but I'm—"

"Of course, I remember you Nanako-san!" Sakuno interrupted her with a smile back.

Nanako beamed. At least she remembered her. Even if their interactions were quite limited before, she remembered the shy girl and her grandmother at almost every one of Ryoma's matches. And she specifically recalled how Sakuno was the only girl Ryoma could tolerate.

"It's Sakuno-chan, right?" Nanako confirmed. If she thought Sakuno was beautiful before, she realized how angelic she was when she widened her smile at the fact that Nanako remembered her. Looking her over, Nanako really hoped it wasn't just toleration for Ryoma.

"Would you like to come in?" Sakuno asked, her smile still apparent as she gestured toward her living room. "I don't know what's going on, but maybe you'd like some tea."

Even if her cousin had ditched her, at least she had this angel before her.

"Thank you, that'd be great."

* * *

It had been two days since Ryoma left, and Nanako had been in heaven. Sakuno, now mature and studying hard to be a chef, pampered Nanako with amazing foods and kind hospitality. Every morning, she'd wake up to an aroma of a fresh breakfast that was generously served for two. And since it was the weekend, Sakuno introduced her to places around the area including taking her to nearby shopping district. Every moment with Sakuno was sincere, Nanako thought, knowing she probably didn't go out with many girlfriends.

Although she had reserved a hotel room nearby, Sakuno insisted she stay with her as her grandmother always preached safety in numbers. And so she complied. Of course, it was mainly because she couldn't say no to her. Sakuno was too charming for her own good.

Besides, this way, she could find out information about Ryoma's well-being. And apparently, the new relationship between him and the girl next door.

"So, it's very convenient he found this place," Nanako inquired as she started braiding Sakuno's hair. "Did you help him find it?"

"A-Ah! N-No," she blushed at her implication. "His former Seigaku teammates helped him find it. A-Apparently, he really wanted a place near the airport. A-And they remembered there was a vacancy here."

"Oh," she replied, disappointed. It would've been interesting if he moved there just for her, but considering it was Ryoma, it was more wishful thinking than anything. However, she was thankful for his team. At least, they thought to suggest this place. Although, remembering how they were towards Ryoma's love life, they probably planned it the day Ryoma informed them he'd be looking for an apartment.

"How is he?" she questioned, finally asking what her auntie had been wanting to find out. "His mother worries about him a lot."

Sakuno only smiled softly. "Well, he is in another country. I would worry too."

' _If auntie was here, she'd be all over Sakuno,_ ' Nanako smiled to herself.

"But I think he's doing well. When he's not home, he's usually either practicing by himself or with the old regulars. There's really not a time when he's free that doesn't involve tennis," Sakuno giggled, thinking of their days together. "When I'm finished with classes, I usually come home to see him drenched in sweat."

For a moment, Sakuno wondered whether or not Ryoma would be annoyed at the fact they were gossiping. But she immediately brushed off the thought. It was his cousin. Any of this information shouldn't be new to her.

"You guys spend a lot of time together, then?" Nanako grinned.

"N-No! I-I just h-help him with his meals. Ryoma-kun doesn't really k-know how to c-cook so I've been c-cooking. And h-he helps me by j-judging each dish," she said quickly, trying to make sure his cousin didn't get the wrong idea. But then she realized her mistake.

"You cook for him?" Nanako knew she had acquired vital information. The great tennis prince was dependent on the girl.

"U-Um..."

"It seems like," Nanako teased, "You guys are a newlywed couple."

Sakuno blushed furiously.

* * *

He had to give it to his cousin. If this was payback for leaving her for three days, it definitely worked in annoying him.

"You're what?"

"I'm staying with Sakuno-chan for the rest of my time in Japan," Nanako said as her face glowed. "We've been having such a great time together these past few days."

After coming home, Ryoma was surprised to find Nanako still at Sakuno's place. It wasn't until he saw the luggage in her living room did he realize that she spent the past few nights at her place. That means Nanako had probably talked endlessly with Sakuno. And his name probably came up.

Nanako knew things about him. Embarassing things. She basically took care of him for most of his life. And he knew she'd waste no time in telling the stories in order to chastise him for leaving.

"I thought you came to visit me," he said coolly as he sipped his Ponta. But Nanako could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"We could still spend tons of time together, Ryoma! Sakuno-chan is gone for most of the day," she clapped her hands as her smile turned into an evil grin. "Sakuno and I just became really good friends. It looks like she enjoyed my company, too."

Ryoma rested his head on his palm, still trying to hide his irritation. "So?"

"So, it means we're going to be shopping and going to the spa when she gets back from class. We've planned out so many outings this week."

"Che."

"You're not jealous, are you Ryoma?" Nanako inquired. After spending so much time with the girl, Nanako had all the information she needed. "Apparently, every time she's out of class, she's always with you, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryoma opened another can. For some reason, he was really thirsty.

"I wouldn't want to take time away from her _practice_ ," she taunted. "So, if you want your meal time back, all you have to do is ask."

Ryoma tipped his hat and hid his expression from Nanako. She knew his pride wouldn't let him break his cool attitude. So she had a bit of fun.

"Well, since I'm not interrupting anything," Nanako smirked, "I'll take Sakuno for myself this week."

Ryoma just looked away from her and scowled.

Before he could make any remarks, he heard a knock.

"Ah! I got some groceries for you, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno declared, holding up bags of food after Ryoma opened the door. She glanced behind him to see Nanako waving. "Ah, Nanako-san, you're here, too!"

Ryoma let her in, annoyed at the fact that her attention was fully on his cousin. Sakuno saw his irritation and excused herself to the kitchen, mistaking his annoyance for hunger. "I'm sure you're hungry, Ryoma-kun. I'll make something for the three of us."

As she stood up, Nanako glanced at the boy who watched as Sakuno moved.

Even if she was hesitant to come to Japan, seeing as Ryoma wanted to move due to the fact that he wanted some type of independence from his family, she was glad she did.

Or else she wouldn't have seen Ryoma actually try to spend time with her for the rest of the week in an attempt to make Sakuno stay.

Or the fact that she also wouldn't have seen his childish frustration every time she took Sakuno out for some girl time.

* * *

After an eventful week, the time finally came when Nanako had to go back. Sakuno and Ryoma had come to the airport to see her off.

"Hey, take care of yourself," Ryoma said suddenly.

Nanako looked at her cousin in surprise. It wasn't every day that the usually stoic boy showed his concern for her. So, she gave him a soft smile. "You, too Ryoma. This visit was nice."

"Hn," was his only reply in agreement.

"Nanako-san, I had a lot of fun with you," Sakuno bowed, smiling widely. Nanako only replied with a pleased expression. Even if Ryoma was the reason she came, Nanako was thankful of her newfound friendship with the young girl. She glanced at Ryoma with a look of optimism. Hopefully, she'd see more of Sakuno in the future.

"Ryuzaki, can you get a taxi ready?" Ryoma said all of a sudden. The twin braided girl just nodded and gave one final glance to Nanako.

"Have a safe flight!"

Nanako thanked her before the girl could run off. "So, what did you want to talk about, Ryoma? Having poor Sakuno-chan leave like that."

Ryoma paused for a second trying to evaluate his words. "I'd like you not to tell mom or that stupid idiot about Ryuzaki."

Nanako looked at him in surprise. What was he? Embarrassed?

"Why is that?"

"It's not... necessary," Ryoma said. "Besides, I've just gotten a new apartment. I'd like a little more time to settle in before they try to visit me."

Understanding the meaning of his words, Nanako could only giggle. "Okay. I'll assure them you're doing just fine by yourself."

"Thanks."

"But Ryoma... you're very selfish."

He glared at her. "And I wasn't initially going to say anything about Sakuno-chan."

Ryoma gave her a thankful look but then dropped it after hearing her next few words.

"But I will tell them if you don't stop treating her like she's your maid," she crossed her arms, reprimanding the boy. "For starters, buy your own groceries. Have you even gone grocery shopping at all?"

Ryoma winced. So, she noticed. After that day Sakuno came by to give him his groceries, he prayed she didn't criticize him for it.

"Fine," he obliged without argument. He couldn't deny that Nanako had a point.

"And good luck," she finally said, winking at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Nanako giggled. Her cousin sure had _a long ways to go_.

* * *

"Did you have fun, Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked he watched television while petting Karupin. Sakuno had been in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes. She didn't look at him but replied anyway.

"Y-Yes, I haven't really had the time to go out with girlfriends, so it was really nice," Sakuno answered with her hands mixing something in a large bowl.

Ryoma smiled to himself. Even if Sakuno ended up spending all her time with Nanako, he was glad his cousin came. Sakuno looked like she thoroughly enjoyed herself.

Then he heard her quietly whisper something.

"... But I missed cooking for you," he could hear faintly. Ryoma looked at her, only seeing a small side of her face. He could see some red tint to it.

He looked back at the television, deciding not to tease her this time. Besides, Ryoma didn't want to risk her turning around to pout at him.

She didn't need to see _the_ Ryoma Echizen have the tiniest hint of pink on his cheeks.

' _Thanks, Nanako._ '


	5. In Which Ryoma Doesn't Know How to Read

Chapter 4: In Which Ryoma Doesn't Know How to Read

That early Sunday morning had started out with a very frazzled Sakuno knocking at Ryoma's door, muttering apologies of how late she'd arrive. As he listened to her quiet gibbering, he could hear her mutter something about needing to be at work in less than thirty minutes. Which meant that she had to hurry cooking breakfast for him… instead of fixing her messy hair and bedraggled appearance. And she'd probably have to quickly run to the shop, too. And knowing how the girl was, an image of her tripping on invisible objects on her way there instantly popped into Ryoma's mind.

Seeing that the usually calm and tidy girl was completely disheveled at the moment, Ryoma just put a protein bar in her hand and shooed her off to fix her appearance.

"M-Matte, Ryoma-kun! I can still make your breakfast!" she insisted as Ryoma pushed her towards the door. He only responded with a strict look that Sakuno shivered at.

"Ryuzaki," Ryoma then looked down as Sakuno followed his eyes. "Your shirt is inside out."

Sakuno blushed a hard red, finally realizing how sloppy she looked. Quickly covering herself up with her arms, she bowed gratefully and then rushed back into her apartment.

After hearing her shut the door, Ryoma sighed. It was going to be a restaurant day again. After that week with Nanako, who actively took Sakuno out doing who-knows-what even in the early mornings, Ryoma had been forced to eat breakfast at a locally owned restaurant. Though he didn't mind their food much, since it was specifically recommended by Sakuno, he still would've preferred the aspiring chef's cooking. After all, every meal Sakuno made was especially catered to his taste.

But one of the benefits of the area was that it rarely had tourists, at least not that he's seen, and it seemed like only a small number of humble people inhabited the neighborhood. Ryoma always saw young families and the elderly around rather than the usual obnoxious people in the city. And the restaurant was no different. The early mornings usually had a few reserved locals at the restaurant, and he was grateful for the peaceful and quiet setting. However, even with its appealing environment, their food was no match for Sakuno's.

But such a crisis this morning had been enough for Ryoma to realize that she had other priorities. And he knew that if he wasn't careful, she'd end up clumsily stressing herself out to a sickly degree. After all, Sakuno was always infamous for getting sick.

After finishing his breakfast, Ryoma set out for his apartment to get his tennis bag. He was finally energized enough to start his usual tennis practice. Or at least, that's what he was planning to do before his cell phone suddenly rang.

"Ryoma-kun?" he heard the soft voice say after answering the call. "Ano, are you practicing right now?"

"No," he replied, leaving the part out that he was in fact getting ready to go to practice. He wasn't an idiot. The girl rarely called him. Which meant she needed a favor.

"What do you need?"

"Eto… I forgot my apron back home. I-I mean, my manager said it was fine, but I-I wonder if it's really alright," Sakuno said nervously, feeling a bit guilty that she was asking the busy prince. "Y-You don't have to. I-I could always ask someone else—"

"I'll get it."

"Really!? Thank you, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno exclaimed happily. "Ano, you can stop at the shop to get the key from me."

After giving him the address, they hung up with Ryoma heading towards the shop. As he walked, he realized something. This was going to be the first time he'd see her at work...

* * *

It took Ryoma no time to get to the shop since it was only a couple streets away from their apartment complex. Of course, if Sakuno would've picked a father place, she'd have to get herself a car. And as a college student who is also paying for her own place, there was no way she could afford it.

The shop was everything he'd expected it to be. It was small and quaint looking, only taking up a corner of the modest plaza. And since the area was more local than commercial, there was only a couple of older folks inside. Then again, it might've been because it was so early in the morning.

"Ah, you must be Echizen-san," approached an elderly woman with gentle features. "I'm Kaya, Sakuno's manager as well as the owner."

Ryoma bowed politely as he introduced himself. Before he could ask where Sakuno was, the young girl appeared before them, carrying a stack of books. Noting that Ryoma had arrived, she set them down at the nearby counter and gave him her usual smile.

"So, are you Sakuno-chan's boyfriend?" Kaya asked with an inquisitive smile and looked back at the now blushing girl. "You two look very handsome together."

Ryoma just looked away as Sakuno began to blush harder. It hadn't been the first time someone suspected them as a couple. Just the other day at the local grocery store, the first time Ryoma tagged along—due to Nanako's nagging—the clerk ended up giving them a discount for couples. Apparently, the owner was celebrating fifty years with his wife and decided to have a "Love Sale" for spouses or couples. Surprisingly, Ryoma didn't deny it and instead thanked them for their hospitality. This only caused Sakuno to get so embarrassed that she was incapable of speaking to him for the rest of the day, often blundering whenever he just looked at her and tried to avoid any sort of eye contact whatsoever. Sakuno wondered if it was her fault in the first place since she emphasized the value in coupons and discounts when he asked her to teach him what to look out for.

Before Sakuno could deny it, a customer had come up to them asking for the location of a specific book. "Ah, yes, I can help you look for it, Miss."

Sakuno handed Ryoma her key before going off to help the lady. He politely excused himself from Kaya and started to walk away when she stopped him.

"Echizen-san, when you come back later, please don't be too alarmed," she said apologetically, walking back behind the desk. Confused at her words, he was about to ask why before another customer came up to them to check out. Seeing as he was in the way, Ryoma excused himself once again and exited the store, shrugging off the owner's words.

* * *

Ryoma clenched his fist as he appeared in front of her apartment, making sure that the object that he thought he'd lost wouldn't escape from his hand. He wondered how Sakuno hadn't lost her key yet, considering how awfully small it was when he it disappeared into the abyss of his pockets. And knowing how clumsy she was, there was a definite chance that she'd lose it.

He turned the lock to her apartment and acknowledged that this would be the first time he'd entered Sakuno's apartment. Actually this was the first time he'd entered a girl's room ever, excluding his family members. Sure she'd come over almost every day, but that was because she had offered to cook for him. And there'd be no reason for Ryoma to enter her room.

Ryoma excused himself as he took his shoes off. He scanned the room, looking for the object he'd been tasked to get. The layout really hadn't been any different from his. It had one room serving as both the living room and bedroom and a kitchen to the side. The washroom and the bath were also in the same position. Of course, he didn't expect it to be any different.

But the atmosphere was definitely the opposite from his. Ryoma was never one for personal belongings so his room still looked as if no one had moved in yet. There were still boxes that he hadn't unpacked—most of them magazines, books and any other knickknacks that Rinko had told him to bring with him to personalize his apartment. After about a few weeks living there, Sakuno questioned why he still hadn't unpacked yet. As he watched a tennis match on television, he blamed it on the fact that he'd been too busy to. But Sakuno—like all the females in his life—began scolding him and commented that it was because he was just lazy. Without stuttering. And Ryoma knew that this meant she knew she was right.

Sakuno's room, on the other hand, was warm. With an atmosphere suited for a girl, the walls were painted with a light pink and stuffed animals were decorated around the small television she had. Ryoma walked up to the shelf next to it, which had caught his eye when he entered the room. It was full of memorabilia with framed pictures and a familiar plush toy next to them. Ryoma smirked as he recognized it.

Ryoma looked through the rest of the pictures and picked one up carefully. It was a picture of Seigaku at Nationals. He was being carried up by the rest of the members with the trophy in his hand.

' _Ryuzaki is such a sentiment_ ,' he chuckled to himself. After a few more seconds of reminiscing, Ryoma finally put the picture down and looked for the navy blue apron he'd see her wear before she'd head out for work. It didn't take more than a minute for him to spot it on the kitchen counter, neatly folded. He grabbed it and then looked around again. A realization hit him.

' _Heh… such a good student_ ,' Ryoma smirked then brushed the thought away as prepared to leave. Looking at his watch, he made his way out and noticed how long he'd been in her apartment. Even if he didn't mind helping Sakuno out, he really did need to hurry if he wanted to make the most out of practice today. Quickly stopping by his apartment to get his already set up tennis bag, Ryoma hurriedly made his way back to the shop.

While jogging, he thought to himself while smirking, ' _I'll get it after practice_.'

* * *

Ryoma's eye twitched. What the hell was this scene in front of him?

"Ah! Ryoma-kun! Thank you for bringing my apron here," Sakuno said in a hurry, almost ignoring him. "I'll see you later."

He looked at her in disbelief. The girl who always had time for him suddenly had no time at all. Well, then again, she was working at the moment. And, then again, Ryoma surmised that he'd probably treat her the same way when it came to tennis. But this was Sakuno they were talking about. She wasn't allowed to give him her minimum attention.

While also giving all her attention to the twenty other guys in the shop.

Ryoma's eye twitched again as the guys made it obvious that they were there for Sakuno. They were all trying to get her attention in some way. Damn bastards.

Before even going into the shop, Ryoma could see from the windows that there was a crowd of people scrambling inside. And as he came closer, he quickly realized that these people were young men who looked like they were in college or high school. And they were young men who looked at Sakuno like she was also on sale. Ryoma pushed some aside as they continued trying to get the young girl's attention. As he chaos ensued with Sakuno trying to help everyone out, he felt someone tap his back.

Ryoma turned around to find Kaya with the same apologetic look she'd had before he left and guided him towards an empty area of the shop. "Echizen-san, I apologize for having to see the store in this state. Especially since Sakuno-chan is in this type of situation."

He looked back at the crowd trying to hide his irritation.

"It doesn't bother me at all."

Kaya just smiled. "Well, this really only happens on the weekends. A lot of young men around her age started coming here around the time Sakuno-chan started."

' _Of course they did_ ,' he thought knowing fully well why.

"But it looks like Sakuno-chan knows how to handle herself," she said gently as she looked back at Sakuno. "She's always working hard."

Glancing at her, Ryoma noticed the same thing. Sakuno didn't look bothered by it. It was more like she was determined to do her job more than anything else. He studied her for a moment and then looked back at Kaya.

"You have some… interesting books. Any of them on tennis?" Ryoma asked pretending to look around.

Kaya blinked in surprise and looked as if she was about to laugh. But holding it in, she pointed to some shelves across the room. "That corner over there is the lifestyle section. There should be some tennis magazines there."

"Thanks," he said looking away from her knowing stare. "I'll leave you to your work then."

"Sakuno-chan's break is in a couple of hours," she inquired. Kaya gave him one final glance and then went back to helping Sakuno.

Trying to hide himself from Sakuno, who expected he be heading to practice by now, Ryoma quickly strode off to the section and grabbed a random book and opened it to cover his face. Like hell he'd leave now. Once these guys got bored of hanging around there, then he'd leave. Otherwise, he wasn't going to leave with the shop in this state. If it were up to him, he'd have already used his twist serve on every single one of these bastards to make them go away. It was, according to Ryoma, their fault that he couldn't go to practice now. If he were to do some moves on them, at least he'd get some practice in. But Sakuno probably wouldn't be too happy with him.

Speaking of the girl, Ryoma was too focused on his thoughts to notice Sakuno approaching him with a curious look.

"Ryoma-kun, aren't you going to go practice?" he could hear her say. Ryoma lifted his head from the book to look at the girl, catching a glance of the other guys looking at her. They all looked annoyed at him. Of course, Ryoma smirked in return.

"I'm trying to see if there are any useful books I could read on tennis," he lied. It was a good thing Sakuno never questioned him when it came to his beloved sport. Unfortunately for Ryoma, this wasn't tennis.

"But Ryoma-kun, that's not a tennis book."

' _Crap_.'

"It's a book on breastfeeding."

' _Double crap_.'

"And it's upside down."

…

"Ryoma-kun! Where are you going!?"

* * *

He messed up. And it wasn't a small mistake, no, it was a big and very stupid mistake.

If he wasn't so focused on using his serves on those guys, he would've paid attention to the book in front of him.

And what's worse, he just left. He paused. Turned around. And then left.

Ryoma hit the ball hard as the tennis machine shot another ball towards him. After the encounter, he sprinted to the courts without looking back. He could see the ball fly through the fence like the past few balls he had hit minutes ago. There may have been a few abnormal holes in it now. Well, it didn't matter.

Needing to take a breather, Ryoma turned off the machine and then walked over to the bench to rummage through his bag for his water bottle. As he looked through it, he heard a clank of metal on hit the bench. He searched for the noisy object and found a key. Sakuno's key. He'd forgotten to give it back to her since she was too busy to ask for it back.

After looking at it for a few more seconds, an idea occurred to him.

' _Heh…_ ' he thought, smirking to himself.

* * *

"Okay, Sakuno-chan, have fun on your break," Kaya smiled as she took over for Sakuno. Bowing a thank you, Sakuno headed towards the staff room in the back. She grabbed her neatly wrapped bento from the fridge and sat at small one-person table crammed in the tight space break room.

When she first started out, Kaya had recommended going over to the bakery right across the street for lunch. They had some pretty good sandwiches, and she even befriended the elderly couple that worked there. However, after many more male customers started coming in, she was unable to go over without being asked out. So in order to avoid it, she started eating in the back. Of course, since she genuinely enjoyed the old couple's sandwiches and company, she'd stop by after work ended. Sure her bentos were good, but she enjoyed the warmth of the bakery.

As she started eating, Sakuno thought back on what had happened a couple hours ago. Ryoma was there for an unusually longer time than she expected. And acting so strange. She thought it had been odd that he hadn't gone to practice yet. Although he had his tennis bag, there was no trace of sweat or hunger that she'd usually see after she was done with classes or work.

And he was also reading such a book.

' _I startled him_ ,' Sakuno sighed.

Before she could get too lost in her thoughts, Sakuno heard the staff door open. "Sakuno-chan, it looks like Echizen-san is here. He's asking for you."

Without hesitation, she got up from her seat and strode over to the desk where Ryoma was waiting. Sakuno blushed as she noticed him smirk when he saw her. She looked him over and concluded that he'd been practicing.

"Ryuzaki," he declared, his voice loud enough to catch the attention of her admirers. They noticed Sakuno back from the staff room and was about to ask for "customer service" before Ryoma interrupted.

"Here," he said, clearly holding up a key. Sakuno studied the object. It was her apartment key that she had forgotten to take back. And attached to it was a miniature tennis ball charm.

"That's—"

"It's the key to _the_ apartment," Ryoma smirked and made his voice known across the shop. "Knowing you, there's a chance you'd lose it. This way, it'll be much harder to lose."

Sakuno blushed furiously as he grabbed her hand and placed it in her palm. "T-Thank you, R-Ryoma-kun."

"Hn," he replied back. "I'll see you back _home_."

"H-Hai!" she shouted to his walking figure. Before exiting, he gave the young men a smug look and left with his signature smirk still apparent.

Kaya smiled at the girl next to her, noticing how quiet the crowd became. Hopefully, Kaya thought, this would discourage some of the men from loitering around the girl.

Before heading back to finish her lunch, Sakuno took one last glance at the direction where Ryoma disappeared to and clutched the key to her chest.

Her beating heart wasn't even close to calming down.

* * *

"Thank you, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno beamed at him as she got to his apartment. After Ryoma left, the crowd began to disperse as well. And this made her realize that he did that for her sake.

"For what?" he said indifferently, sipping on a Ponta at his kotatsu.

"F-For helping me with those guys," Sakuno said shyly. "Kaya-san said you noticed the situation earlier."

"Hn," was his only response before focusing his attention towards the television.

"Ryoma-kun? This bag on the counter, where should I put it?" she asked, holding up a pink shopping bag.

"It's for you," he responded as if she should've known. "You use your work apron to cook in your apartment, right?"

Sakuno blinked and then gave him a look of disbelief.

"What?"

"Y-You bought me an a-apron?"

"Just open it," he said bluntly, annoyed at her skepticism.

Balking slightly, Sakuno looked inside and found a pink apron with a heart in the middle and ruffles at the end. "The clerk picked it out. So, if you don't like it—"

"It's perfect," she said as she bowed with a wide smile. "You've given me so much today."

"I have more than enough money," Ryoma said still facing the television. If he looked at her expression now, he wouldn't know how to react. And he already made a fool of himself today.

"And you, on the other hand, are broke."

She giggled at his bluntness. "Thank you, Ryoma-kun."

"Use it here, too. My apron is clearly over-sized."

"Okay," Sakuno said, gently nodding while putting on the apron. Before getting back to kitchen to start dinner, she smiled with content as she looked at it.

And Ryoma could only tilt his hat down seeing this.

* * *

"Ah! Ryoma-kun!"

"What?"

"You shouldn't be watching so much television," Sakuno said as she set the food down. "I got you a book before I left."

Sakuno held up a colorful book in front of him titled:

 **Reading for Dummies!**

Ryoma's eye twitched for the third time that day.

* * *

A/N: These chapters are getting longer and longer, oh my gosh. Not that I mind it, but like I wrote this one four times before I was content with it. It was originally going to be half of this but like, so many ideas kept popping up. Anyway, I'm so happy that people are actually enjoying this story and I will be updating it on a weekly basis. Thank you for your reviews and follows and I hope you guys continue to!


	6. Summer Nights

Chapter 5: Summer Nights

Sakuno knew that living in a very low budget apartment complex would mean that power outages would occur more frequently than average homes. So after the light went out for the second time she's been there, she lit some candles, turned on the battery powered fan, and then opened her balcony to let the breeze in.

As she slid the door open, she noticed that Ryoma had yet to open his.

' _He's probably sleeping now_ ,' she thought, going back into her apartment. Sakuno laid down on her futon and placed herself in front of the fan. Trying to fall asleep, she started to hum to herself.

* * *

Ryoma didn't realize that living in a low budget apartment complex meant that any power outages would happen. Ever since he was young, any blackouts in the area would immediately be resolved by the backup generators that they had. Thinking back on it, Ryoma hadn't acknowledged his wealth at all. If it wasn't for the fact that this was the perfect location for him, he wouldn't have given living there a second thought.

Of course, the only reason he's only thinking these things is because he had clumsily forgotten to buy a fan… even though he'd been there for more than a month now. He looked at the transparent balcony door and opened it slowly, trying not to disturb the other tenants assuming theirs was open as well. The last thing he needed was to mess up the peacefulness of the night.

As he slid it open, he felt the summer breeze creep up on his face. How was it that the summer air was cooler than his own apartment?

He could hear Karupin meow in pleasure as he too came out to feel the breeze. Ryoma lifted him up and started petting him, regretting the fact that his pet's fur was really warm. The cat started purring quietly as it nuzzled its head into Ryoma's chest.

Taking in the cool breeze, he closed his eyes. That's when he heard someone singing softly.

 ** _The cherry blossoms fell, fluttering down_**

 ** _Embracing every bit of my fluttering love_**

 ** _Even now, I'm dreaming the dream I prayed for with you that spring_**

 ** _The cherry blossoms scatter_**

Leaning on the wall adjacent to hers, he smiled to himself and listened further. There was something about the air in the night that made him desire to hear the sound of her voice.

 ** _From the train I could see_**

 ** _The traces of one day_**

 ** _The big bridge we crossed together_**

 ** _Graduation time came_**

 ** _And you left town_**

 ** _On the colorful riverbank, I search for that day_**

She looked at her ceiling and continued singing while reminiscing about her time at Seishun Gakuen. More specifically the brief time she had with her prince. Though every moment had been painfully short, she always treasured the fact that she was able to meet him. To know him. And to love him.

 ** _We went our separate ways_**

 ** _And brought our spring to an end_**

 ** _My future is in full bloom_**

 ** _But it fills me with panic_**

 ** _This year, once again, the cherry blossoms are reflected_**

 ** _In the window of the Odakyuu train_**

 ** _In my heart_**

 ** _I hear your voice_**

Karupin purred pleasantly as he began to fall asleep. He knew it wasn't the fact that he was in his arms that was making him fall asleep. It was her voice.

 ** _The cherry blossoms fell, fluttering down_**

 ** _Embracing every bit of my fluttering love_**

 ** _Even now, I'm dreaming the dream I prayed for with you that spring_**

 ** _The cherry blossoms scatter_**

She knew her voice was nothing compared to that of a professional, but on this quiet evening, she had an inexplicable desire to express her feelings. Even though she didn't know why, she felt sentimental.

 _ **The start of my letter to you**_

 _ **Says, "I'm doing okay"**_

 _ **You'll see through that little lie, won't you?**_

 _ **Even the town going past**_

 _ **Is taking in the spring**_

 _ **The flowers are opening their buds again this year**_

He glanced at one of the boxes he still hadn't unpacked. It wasn't just his laziness, no, there were things he didn't want her to see. The letters that he didn't want her to know he'd still had.

 ** _I'll get through these days without you_**

 ** _And I, too, will grow up_**

 ** _Will I forget everything?_**

 ** _"I really loved you"_**

 ** _I hold out my hands to the cherry blossoms_**

 ** _Now my love is wrapped in the spring_**

It had been years since they saw each other. Years since they truly spoken. And years since her heart skipped too fast. They may have grown up, but she knew she'd never forget her feelings.

 ** _The cherry blossoms fell, fluttering down_**

 ** _Embracing every bit of my fluttering love_**

 ** _Even now, the strong words you gave me_**

 ** _Remain in my heart; the cherry blossoms dance_**

He remembered receiving her first letter when he left for America in middle school. She said the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

 ** _The cherry blossoms fell, fluttering down_**

 ** _Embracing every bit of my fluttering love_**

 ** _Those days I dreamed of on that distant spring day_**

 ** _Disappear into the sky_**

Even if she was afraid of the heartbreak of them separating again, she was glad that at least at that moment, she got to be by his side. Because those dreams of finally meeting him again finally came true.

 ** _The cherry blossoms fall, fluttering down_**

 ** _And I walk into the spring_**

 ** _I clutch the dream I promised you that spring_**

 ** _Tightly to my chest, the cherry blossoms dance._**

He looked up at the sky as her voice started to fade out. The cool air was now gone and instead replaced with torrid air. But even if the heat was uncomfortable and the apartment would undoubtedly have more power outages in the future, there was absolutely no way he'd leave.

Like her, he wanted spring to come. The cherry blossoms were, after all, the most beautiful in Japan.

* * *

A/N: Ah, that was very short compared to the last couple chapters. Does anyone know what this song is? It's translated to English, but it's Sakura Hira Hira by Ikimono Gakari. Of course, I prefer the Japanese version better. But for writing purposes (and the fact that this story is in English), I wanted to properly convey the words. Honestly, this song had always screamed RyoSaku to me after seeing OVA 26. I seriously recommend listening to it while reading this chapter. And since the other chapters have been comedic, I wanted to write something really nostalgic for a change. Anyway, I really hope you liked this chapter despite how short it was. And the next chapter will be posted next Saturday!


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